We found Carlos Sainz! While he had not finished in the top 3 of a race (sprint and GP combined) since the Austrian Grand Prix on June 30, the Spaniard particularly shone during the sprint race contested this Saturday. in Austin (United States). Starting 5th, the Iberian overtook his teammate Charles Leclerc on the 5th lap, before beating two dying Britons to finish 2nd behind the day’s winner Max Verstappen.
“After the first lap, I understood that we had a lot of pace compared to the othershe expressed. We fought well with Charles. I attacked him on the inside, he caught me on the inside of the next corner. It was fun. We went to pick up George (Russell) next. Then I thought Lando would be difficult to overtake, but we finally succeeded with two laps to go in the first corner.
While Sainz and Leclerc rubbed shoulders quite a bit in the first five laps, one wonders if the two men did not end up hindering each other, undoubtedly dooming their chances of getting back to the lead of the race and thus competing for victory. . “I don’t know, the Madrilenian preferred to respond. It’s impossible to say. We’ll see tomorrow. I felt directly that I was fast. I wanted to move forward very quickly. That was the plan. By tackling and braking so much outside the racing line, it wasn’t necessarily the best way to manage the tires in fact, but despite the degradation, we were still well at the end of the race, and I see that especially as a positive element for tomorrow.”
Carlos Sainz has ambition for the Grand Prix
The excellent pace displayed by the Ferraris was a nice surprise for Carlos Sainz, and this while almost the entire grid arrived here sporting a new package, unlike a Scuderia having brought nothing contrary to what had initially been announced. “The idea is to optimize this package until the end of the year. He allowed us to fight for victories. I’m surprised we’re so competitive here. I knew we would be at Monza, Singapore and Baku, but there, on this more traditional track, which gives pride of place to combined corners, it was quite unexpected, because we normally suffer in this area.
If he wants to fight for a 4th victory before leaving Ferrari to join Williams, the driver of the No. 55 single-seater will absolutely have to succeed in his qualification and start differently higher than the 5th place on the grid which he had obtained on Friday for the sprint. “We will have to concentrate on qualifying, because it is an important part of the weekend, and our car is more comfortable in the race than in this compartment at the momenthe commented. We have to see if we can qualify in the top 3, that could give us a good chance for the race, with overtaking possible and several pit stops no doubt.”
Uninhibited given his contractual situation, the Spaniard only dreams of that: to get back on the podium and leave the Scuderia with one last victory, just to celebrate four years of a fruitful and frankly successful collaboration. But neither Max Verstappen, nor Lando Norris, nor Charles Leclerc, particularly frustrated after the sprint, hear it that way! Meet at midnight for the Grand Prix qualifying session. The winning of the Grand Prix victory will begin there.
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